Gambling Today

It looks like Margaritaville construction will be slowing down. Here is a tidbit from the Sun Herald

Rumors swirling around Biloxi had placed a cloud over the massive construction work adjacent to the Grand Casino Biloxi.

“Over the next few weeks, residents of Biloxi will notice less activity and fewer workers at the Margaritaville work site,” said Marybel Batjer, vice president of communications, in an e-mailed statement. “Rest assured that Harrah’s is NOT canceling the project. We still believe in the Margaritaville concept, and we remain committed to our vision for the property. This is a project that we studied extensively, and we believe that it still has a great potential to benefit the Biloxi market and our company.

I heard this was also in relation to cutting down on overtime pay. They will not have workers around the clock so they can avoid paying high overtime wages. I will keep everyone posted on any updates.

It is important to track which casinos offer bonus slot points and at which times and dates. This will help accumulate comps and offers that much faster!

Here is a list and I will continue to add to it:

Beau Rivage - 2x point on Thursdays.

The Grand - 10x Multiplier promotion is from 8am to 11:59pm on Tuesdays in July. You need to swipe your card at the Special Events kiosk to get the multiplied credits.

Hard Rock - 3x points on Mondays.

IP - 4x points on Tuesday.

Island View - 4x to 10x on Mondays. After playing you swipe your card to see what you get. I’ve got 10x a couple of times.

Isle of Capri - 2x points on Monday

Treasure Bay - 3x points on Wednesday (*excludes Video Poker)

Found this article in the Sun Herald last week. I however feel like the title and first sentence (see below) are a tad bit misleading. One, this ruling will not effect any casinos or sites already approved. Two, parcels are approved or denied on a per site basis, yes this ruling could effect future parcel rulings, but it would still come down to an individual approved. Biloxi Blog or Biloxi Casinos will most likely have the news after the ruling.

BILOXI — July 17 will be a red-letter day for the future of casinos in Biloxi.

Besides the Mississippi Gaming Commission moving its hearing to Biloxi that day to consider the legality of the South Beach Casino site, the Biloxi Planning Commission is expected to decide that afternoon if 81 acres in East Biloxi should collectively be rezoned waterfront.

At Thursday’s meeting about 20 people voiced their support and concerns for the rezoning proposal. Rep. Michael Janus (R-Biloxi) sent a letter saying he doesn’t believe any negative legislation will come from the House of Representatives if the planning commission and the City Council decide to rezone the land.

“It’s a lot of information to absorb at one time,” said Community Development Director Jerry Creel.

He recommended the Maps & Text Committee meet next week to review the comments and present a recommendation to the planning commission at its July 17 meeting.

David Wheeler, the attorney representing the 34 property owners who want their land rezoned from Dukate to Kuhn streets, said he was surprised the commission didn’t vote Thursday.

“These property owners are anxious to get the property rezoned so they can have some development options,” he said.

Waterfront zoning permits multiple uses, including residential, commercial and boat yards, and is also needed before the Gaming Commission will consider whether a site is legal and proper for a casino.

Jerry O’Keefe, who went to Wheeler with the proposal for rezoning, said he has no financial interest in any casino. Many of the lots in the area have been vacant since Hurricane Camille in 1969, he said.

Eleanor Jordan said this is the one chance she and other property owners in that area have at recovery. Others who support the project said it will promote economic opportunity.

Those arguing against the proposal said any rezoning should be done individually rather than collectively. They also said casinos could push Keesler Air Force Base out of the city and commented that New Orleans managed to keep its historic French Quarter and Garden District and still have casinos.

Wheeler said the city has already rezoned five parcels with multiple owners in East Biloxi since Hurricane Katrina.

“It’s an effort by property owners to generate some activity there,” he said.

Biloxi — Developers of the Gold Coast casino in Biloxi are asking the Mississippi Gaming Commission to approve a definition of the mean high tide water line that will make their inland casino site legal.

Mississippi has allowed casinos since the early 1990s, but the original law limited the state-regulated gambling houses to the waters of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The casinos were built on hulking dockside barges.

After Hurricane Katrina severely damaged some of the coastal casinos in 2005, the state law was changed to let the Gulf Coast casinos build 800 feet onshore.

RW Development, led by Ray Wooldridge, owner of the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets, is building the South Beach Biloxi, a 326-unit condominium and other facilities, including the proposed Gold Coast casino. The casino location is on Veterans Avenue, north of U.S. Highway 90 in Biloxi.

The Mississippi Gaming Commission will hear a discussion of the proposal during a July 17 meeting in Biloxi.

RW Development wants the commission to find its casino site legal. It is the first test of the 2005 law.

RW Development argues that a strip of public beach between its property south of U.S. 90 and the shoreline is at the mean high tide. Because of that, RW Development argues the property north of U.S. 90 is a legal casino site.

RW Development has said its completed project — condos, a hotel, shops and the casino — would generate more than $24 million annually in taxes for Biloxi and its schools.

The Biloxi Planning Commission approved the RW Development project in March and the city approved zoning variances necessary for the project in April.

When more information is available about the Gold Coast and South Beach it will be posted over at Biloxi Casinos.

It looks like the application for the casino portion of the South Beach Biloxi Resort and Spa will be delayed. The good thing is construction on the first tower continues as normal with a completion date set for Labor Day.
The Sun Herald Reported:
The answer to whether a casino will be allowed north of U.S. 90 will have to wait a little longer, since the application isn’t on the Mississippi Gaming Commission’s June 19 agenda as first expected.

“We certainly hope to be on the July agenda,” said Reed Guice, spokesman for RW Development, which has proposed building a casino on the northeast corner of U.S. 90 and Veterans Avenue. RW also owns commercial land on the south side of 90, but a strip of sand beach remains between that property and the water.

On April 8 the City Council changed the zoning to waterfront, which is needed before the Gaming Commission will decide if it is a legal casino site. That decision typically comes the same day as the proposal is made to the Gaming Commission…

Complete article here… South Beach delayed

It looks like Biloxi won’t have the first Margaritaville casino afterall…

Donald Trump last week said he is selling the Marina, one his three Atlantic City resorts, to Coastal Marina LLC, which will become Margaritaville Casino & Resort.

That means Parrotheads, the devoted fans of Buffett and the laid-back beach lifestyle made famous by “Margaritaville,” won’t see the new property until at least next summer.

Buffett also is teaming with Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., on the Margaritaville Casino & Resort in Biloxi, Miss., also featuring a Buffett-inspired theme. That $700 million property is expected to open in 2010. It will feature a state-of-the-art Margaritaville restaurant.

The existing property covers approximately 14 acres and includes a 27-story hotel with 728 guest rooms, 79,000 square feet of casino space and approximately 58,000 square feet of convention, ballroom and meeting space.

We will keep everyone updated as more and more construction is made at this new Biloxi casino and resort.

It seems that coupons are not as popular for Biloxi and Mississippi as they are for other gambling. Especially Las Vegas, there are tons of Las Vegas Coupons!

But the good news is that I was able to dig up a few that you guys and gals might enjoy.

First is: Mississippi Gulf Coast Travel and Vacation Coupons for Biloxi and Gulfport

This page has ton of coupons available and all are printable! They have a nice section geared towards the casino resorts and hotels but also have other activities available. I will list the current casino related coupons:

Hard Rock Biloxi - Hard Rock Cafe is offering a “Suvenir Special” coupon. Get a free Hard Rock Cafe Souvenir with a $25 a purchase.

Isle of Capri Casino Resort - Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Buffet Coupon. Must be an ISland One member (free to join).

Palace Casino Resort - Offering 2 coupons. First is receive $10 in power play with any lunch or dinner buffet purchase. Second is get a FREE $10 power play when you join the players club (New members only).

Silver Slipper Casino - Lunch Buffet Coupon - Either a buy one get one free buffet or 50% of the lunch buffet. Must redeem at players club and only available to new members.

Second is: Biloxi Promotions

Found that Biloxi Promotions was offering a printable free buffet coupon at the Hard Rock Biloxi during your birthday month. Not if it can be used for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This coupon does not have to be used on your birthday day, just during the month. Must redeems at players club booth.

These aren’t the greatest coupons but it is good to see some free coupons finally showing up for the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Good news for Biloxi and the Biloxi Tourist Industry. Biloxi is going to be in a two page article in the March issue of Budget Travel magazine.

According to the Sun Hearld the article will include photos of the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art pod pavilion on the beach along with the casino strip, Mary Mahoney’s, Emeril’s Gulf Coast Fish House and Hard Rock Casino. They’ll learn the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport has more direct flights now than before Katrina, and that the Biloxi Bay Bridge again connects Biloxi with the live-music bars in Ocean Springs like the Julep Room Lounge.

Budget Travel is a popular magazine and this will be good exposure for Biloxi. I just went over to the Budget Travel Magazine website (BudgetTravel.com) and it looks like they post their current issue online for everyone to read. We will have to check again at the begining of March to fully verify.
About Budget Travel Magazine:
Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel magazine; offering travel guides, travel tips, and advice on trip planning, restaurant recommendations, city guides, and popular destinations.

Don’t forget to visit Biloxi Casinos! 

The Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi made an amazing donation to Biloxi high school program. They gave the gift of 20 new guitars.

What else was pretty cool was that Todd Harrell with the group 3 Doors Down accompanied the Hard Rock crew.

So next time you are at the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi, playing blackjack, roulette, slots, or other games and you are mad about losing, just remember they are giving some back to the local community.

Good job Hard Rock!

Hard Rock Biloxi General Manager Leaving After Rebuilding Project

The Hard Rock Biloxi was set to become one of the biggest gaming destinations in Mississippi. The casino downtown was supposed to open and be an instant destination for tourists.

That was before Hurricane Katrina stopped the opening of the casino in its tracks. It was literally a day before the opening of the Hard Rock that the hurricane destroyed the area and postponed the opening.

Joe Billhimer has been the president and general manager of the Hard Rock. He vowed to make sure that the place recovered from the devastation that Katrina brought, and oversee the opening of the casino.

He has done all of that, and now has decided to step aside from his job. “I was very concerned about getting all of our local vendors paid, getting everybody rehired, getting the property opened. We’ve done that,” Billhimer said.

Duncan McKenzie will take over the duties that Billhimer is leaving behind. He has decided to leave his job as the regional vice president for the Isle of Capri, to take the job with Hard Rock.

For Billhimer, it was just time to move on. “It’s time to spend a little bit of time with the family and look at some other development opportunities. And remain a staunch advocate of the coast in our rebuilding,” he said.

Source: AP